


Eleftheria

by skipthemeds



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Attempt at Humor, Fluff, I don't know how to tag this, Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin) is Bad At Feelings, Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin) is In Denial, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pining Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Summer, Tour guide!Eren, Tourist!Levi, Vacation, on later chapters though
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-14
Updated: 2018-05-16
Packaged: 2019-05-07 00:14:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14659182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skipthemeds/pseuds/skipthemeds
Summary: Leaving work and taking a vacation in a foreign country sounds very unappealing to Levi.But when he gets to know the bright-eyed Eren Jaeger, he might change his mind.What else does the tropical paradise have in store for him?/changed title/





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, I am back with a second fic! Born because of my need to go the beach.
> 
> Just to give a background: this is set in my country, the Philippines. In the fics I've read, whenever Levi and Eren went out of the country, it was always in Paris, London, or somewhere in Europe. I wanted to go a different route (literally) and I thought, why not here? There was also a resort we went to last December that was really, really nice and is the main inspiration for this story. More details of the place will be provided more as we progress. 
> 
> I'm not sure how everyone would react to this fic but I really just have to let this out.

For all of his life, Levi had always put his work before everything else. Even if he was already the chief marketing officer, he never found the desire to stop working and leave the labor to his underlings. Even if his body screamed for a break, his mind was dead set. But what could he do? He thrived under immense pressure. Loved seeing his desk clean from paperwork before he left the office. Reveled in the feeling that he completed his daily tasks. If he had to work overtime, then so be it. That was just how he was.

            Growing up, they weren’t exactly well-off. His mother could barely support his schooling by taking three jobs. His father was out of the picture ever since he was born so they didn’t bother to ask him for help. Levi’s mother later revealed that he was a product of a careless, drunken night. Though it wasn’t exactly a great bedtime story, Levi was still grateful that he wasn’t abandoned. A lot of children were put up on adoption or left to die on their own. Kuchel wasn’t like that kind of mother. She loved her son and he really looked like her, too, which erased all memories of the estranged father.

            What they lacked in money, Levi made it up with his intelligence. He got into university with a scholarship which slightly eased his mother’s burden but she still went to two of her jobs despite Levi’s protests. Yet, even with that, the raven-haired student applied for a part-time job at the local bookstore to help out with other bills. Levi definitely got the workaholic tendencies from Kuchel.

            Being underprivileged, the student focused on getting good grades and working. Social life was nonexistent for him; he didn’t see the need for it. Not until two knuckleheads appeared at the bookstore he worked at.

            It was raining that day and Levi had just finished mopping up the floor because some people could not even dry their shoes properly on the rug. He was about to grab the mop and the bucket when the bell chimed and two people traipsed in. Sneaking a glance at the new customers, he instantly felt the rage building inside him as a brown-haired woman with glasses and a blond man walked into the shop, dirtying the just-cleaned floor. Before the both of them could even advance with their muddy footprints, Levi blocked their way and gave them a very pointed look. After he made sure they dry their shoes properly, the woman, who introduced herself as Hanji, began chatting him up. It turned out that she and the blond, Erwin, actually had the same course as him and they were in most of his classes. He didn’t recognize them, probably because he wasn’t interested in making friends. Levi was sure, though, that the person in his class with a laugh like a hyena was Hanji.

            After that instance, the annoying pair dragged him whenever they went and soon enough, much to Levi’s surprise, he’d grown fond of them. The three were inseparable ever since. Levi learned that Erwin was the son of the director of Smith Interactive, a well-known digital marketing agency. It wasn’t a surprise that the blond was in line to take over the business once his father retired. It wasn’t like he didn’t deserve it either since Erwin was a very sharp and clever person. Even if he wasn’t the director’s son, he would probably surpass anyone and get the highest position himself.

            When the three of them graduated, Erwin offered Levi and Hanji to work with him in the agency. Both of them accepted on the condition that they should start from the bottom. The blond agreed with their decisions and that was how Levi and Hanji ended up working for Erwin. After years of grueling work, he managed to land the second most important position in the company and Hanji became the agency’s marketing intelligence officer since research was her strongest skill in her arsenal.

            Just before Levi got promoted to chief marketing officer, Kuchel died. It almost broke him down but his friends were there to support him in his worst state. Eventually, he accepted her death and used it as a motivation to work harder so his mother would be proud of him wherever she was. The raven wouldn’t put to waste all those years she pushed herself to exhaustion just so Levi could have a good life.

            Currently, Levi was reviewing paperwork for their latest digital campaign for a client. He wanted to be thorough and accurate with the data and information. He didn’t want to look stupid in front of big shot clients. One flaw in the presentation and they could lose the account. That’s not going to happen under Levi’s watch.

            The day was ending yet Levi had no intention to budge from his seat. He was only halfway through with the papers and didn’t want to take his work home. Staying late in the office was the only option and not even Erwin could stop him.

            Speaking of the devil, the handsome agency director barged into his office without knocking nor telling his secretary. It irked the hell out of Levi but over the years he had grown used to it. Erwin just had no concept of personal space.

            “We have to attend an international conference next week,” Erwin declared as he sat down in a chair in front of Levi’s desk.

            “Do I have to go?” the CMO whined. How he hated attending those things. He would rather spend his time cooped up in his office than go somewhere else. It drained his energy.

            Erwin rolled his eyes. “Yes, you do. Apparently, only selected agencies from different are invited. We are one of the lucky ones to represent the US. Some clients are also attending so it’s our chance to impress them.”

            “Well, that sounds boring.”

            “Well, that’s your job and you better suck it up,” the blond retorted, arctic blue eyes boring into the raven’s steel grey ones and face devoid of any emotion.

            Levi knew there was no way out of it. When someone expressed annoyance or frustration at one of Erwin’s order, he would just give them the _look_ and immediately submit to him. Levi often wondered if his best friend was secretly a master manipulator. He had his doubts but Erwin was a very complex man. If somebody thought they had him figured out, they were most likely wrong.

            “Fucking hell,” the raven muttered under his breath. “Alright, fine. What are the details?”

             Erwin gave him a triumphant smile. “The Philippines will be hosting this year’s conference. I was invited to be a speaker in one of the programs so I need your help in reviewing my presentation.”

            “Of course, you couldn’t do shit without me,” Levi said, crossing his arms and legs as he leaned back in his chair.

            “Whatever you believe in, Levi,” Erwin chuckled. “Anyway, it’s a four-day conference and will start on Wednesday next week. We’ll be leaving on Monday so we would have a day to sort our things out when we arrive there.”

            “That sounds fucking exciting,” Levi remarked sarcastically. “Just email me with the details and other shit you need me to do. I still have to finish this fuckload of crap before the end of the week.”

            The raven picked up his pen and immersed himself in the paperwork. He expected Erwin to get up and leave him alone but he stayed seated in front of him.

            “I’m not finished. I still have to discuss with you some things about our trip.”

            Levi paused in the middle of writing and looked at the blond irritatingly. He offered no reply whatsoever and Erwin took it as a sign to continue what he was saying.

            “The conference will be for four days—” Erwin paused briefly and looked sternly at Levi— “but we’ll be staying there for two weeks.”

            The raven dropped his pen on the desk as the room went dead silent for a whole minute. Grey eyes locked onto blue eyes with intensity as Levi processed what the man before him said.

            “I think I misheard you or something. We are staying for two weeks?”

            “Yes.”

            “Even though the conference is only for four days?”

            “Yes.”

            “In a country on the other side of the world?”

            “Yes.”

            The chief marketing officer remained perplexed with the whole thing. “Why the fuck are we staying for two weeks?”

            At that, Erwin looked sheepish and rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. “You see, there’s going to be three of us on this trip...”

            The fog lifted from the raven’s mind and he was starting to see the picture clearly. Erwin wasn’t the type to plan things like that without somebody else influencing him. There was only one other person who had the power to make Erwin agree with incessant nagging and persuasion. Levi narrowed his eyes dangerously at the blond. At the same time, the door burst open and the raven shifted his glare from Erwin to the person who had just arrived.

            Hanji strutted towards them, whistling a nameless tune happily. When she noticed the short man glaring darkly at her, her smile widened and became excited instead of scared.

            “Erwin! You already told him, didn’t you? Oh my gosh, this is going to be fun! We haven’t had a vacation since… well, ever. I’m so excited!” She was hopping around the place, eyes looking crazed and arms waving frantically.

            “How is gone from the office for two fucking weeks exciting, you shitty four-eyes!” Levi barked.

            “Oh, come on, Levi! Being cooped up in the office is bad for your health! Look at you. You already look older than Erwin,” she stated.

            Erwin looked like he wanted to get out of the office immediately and Levi’s glare turned darker if that was possible.

            “Are you suggesting that we leave the work to those brats while the three most important persons in the agency are going to take a vacation for two weeks?!”

            “God, Levi, you sound like a broken record,” Hanji said. “I’m not worried at all! Moblit is very competent and, honestly, if not for him, I would have probably gone crazy a long time ago!”

            “News flash, four-eyes, you’re already crazy ever since before I met you.”

            “Kids, behave,” Erwin intervened. “Levi, you shouldn’t worry about the company. Mike is capable of handling the business and he wouldn’t let the building burn down. Besides, Hanji’s right. We haven’t had a proper vacation in a long while. I think we deserve that, don’t we?”

            “But how can we be sure they do their damn jobs properly? Just to remind you, the Philippines is 12 hours ahead of us. It won’t be easy keeping tabs with everything that’s happening here,” Levi stated.

            The director sighed deeply and rubbed his temple. Levi knew he was overreacting; but being away from work for so long didn’t sit right with him. His work was his life. His idea of a perfect time away from work was sitting on his couch in his apartment while drinking wine. Going out of the country was only acceptable for him if it was for business.

            Levi looked at his friends from university. The two friends he made accidentally after meeting them in the bookstore he worked at. They had been together for a long time and as much as they were pains in the ass, especially Hanji, he was grateful for them. Not that they would hear him admitting that. And they were both right when they said they haven’t had a vacation since a while back. The last time they went for a trip together was after they graduated and went hiking which ended in a disaster. Levi would rather forget that experience.

            The raven took a deep breath before speaking again. “If this company goes to shit while we’re away, I’m blaming your filthy asses until we’re all sitting on wheelchairs.”

            Erwin nodded and smirked like he had just won a bet while Hanji squealed in delight as their friend finally gave in. She rounded the desk towards him and enveloped the short man in a bear hug.

            “Get off me, you shitty glasses!” Levi complained, squirming beneath the brunette’s embrace.

            “I knew you wouldn’t be a party pooper! We’re going to have so much fun!”

            Levi pushed her off of him and straightened out the wrinkles in his suit. The whole thing still unnerved him but the happy looks on his friends’ faces also made him feel a bit excited. International conferences were mostly held in America or Europe so it was going to be a change of scenery for once.

            “Where is it going to be? Manila?” Levi wondered if the conference would be held in the country’s capital. He’d never been there but he heard that the traffic’s way too bad. He wouldn’t survive that, knowing his patience thinned throughout the years.

            “No, it’s somewhere up north apparently. A luxury resort is sponsoring the conference. We’re still going to land in Manila, though,” Erwin answered. Something on his face told Levi he was hiding something but he let it slide. That was normally Erwin’s face, anyway.

            “Fine. Let me know the other details later. Now, can you two piss off so I can finish this?”

 

* * *

 

           

            Levi hated conferences if he was being honest. If he could, he would often find a reason not to attend. He just couldn’t stand being in a room full of stuck-up, snobby businessmen. There were only a few people he could stand, namely Petra Ral from an agency in Los Angeles. She was a perky woman with strawberry blonde hair and big amber eyes. Levi met her a couple of times and she was a sweetheart; if he wasn’t workaholic and didn’t live in the east coast, he might consider dating her. But, of course, his mind was only focused on his work. He didn’t have the time for petty things like romance.

            The rest of the week, Levi and Erwin went over his presentation. Sometimes, Hanji would help them but most of the time, the raven would kick her out because she would end up chatting with them and not help at all. He also often called his most trusted subordinate, Rico Brzenska, to remind her of the things she needed to do while he was away. The platinum-haired woman just rolled her eyes when he called her for the hundredth time. Levi knew he could depend on the feisty woman but he just wanted to get things right. Fuck ups weren’t allowed on his watch.

            That Friday, he finished all his tasks and double-checked everything with Erwin. The conference would be a great time to show the other agencies their achievements and share their works and campaigns. Big clients were also attending so they had to bring out their big guns.

            Clearing out all his responsibilities, Levi had the time to properly pack during the weekend. It was April so it was already summer in the Philippines which meant it was going to be hot. He didn’t bother to pack formal suits and opted to go with dress shirts and slacks for the conference proper. For the rest of their vacation, he threw in some lightweight tees and shorts. Levi also didn’t forget to pack two bottles of sunscreen and flip-flops. If they were staying in a luxury resort, he’d take advantage of every minute.

             Truthfully, as the day of their trip neared, he became more excited with the idea of a vacation in a tropical country. The small fear of leaving work for two weeks still buzzed at the back of his mind but he managed to control it. He reminded himself that they were partly going there for a conference so technically they would still get to “work”.

             Levi packed the last of his essentials and closed his luggage. He had a list written down so he wouldn’t forget a thing; he liked his things to be organized unlike Hanji. She probably wouldn’t pack until the night before they leave. Most likely, she’d also forget something. She always did no matter how many times Levi told her off. Stowing away the luggage near the door, he headed to the kitchen to make himself a well-deserved cup of tea.

            Lounging on the loveseat, the raven allowed himself to relax. His thoughts drifted to the memories of his mother. He could just picture her smiling and patting his back because, for once, Levi was finally able to let go of work even for a while. A small smile replaced the usual frown he wore. Only his mother could do that to him.

            On Sunday, he dedicated his day in cleaning the whole apartment. Granted, his residence wasn’t messy at all, but the sight of the place sparkling and smelled like citrus gave him the assurance that his apartment would be in an excellent state when he would come back from the trip.

            Hanji called him that afternoon just to let Levi know how she was excited for the trip. She couldn’t care less about the conference and was looking forward more to the new things and places she would get to explore in the Philippines. Apparently, Hanji had done her research about the place and, with too much enthusiasm, droned on about what she had read. Levi tuned out after two minutes of talking to her and just grunted as a response to her when needed. It was either the brown-haired woman knew Levi wasn’t really listening to her and just ignored him or she was just lost in her little world. After she was done talking, she exclaimed that she hadn’t even packed yet. Rushing a ‘goodbye’ to Levi, she hanged up abruptly, making Levi roll her eyes because his assumption was correct once again.

            While having dinner, Levi checked their time of departure. They would leave at 1:35 in the afternoon which meant that he had enough time to double check everything. Erwin already messaged him that he had arranged a driver to take them to the airport. At least one problem was out of the way. He replied with an ‘okay’ and a threat that if the car was late even for a minute, Erwin had to drive him to work for a month when they get back. Levi smirked as he put the phone down and proceeded to wash the dishes.

            Anxiety started creeping up on him as he lay down on his bed. His worries about work showed up again. He felt like something bad would happen to the company once they were out of the country. Levi thought of Mike, Moblit, and Rico. The three of them were the best next to Erwin, Hanji, and him. They wouldn’t let them down, would they? That seemed to calm Levi down as the uneasiness he felt went away.

             Levi just hoped there would be at least a worthy distraction to keep his mind out of work while they were in a faraway tropical land.


	2. Welcome to the Philippines!

            Erwin clearly didn’t like the idea of being Levi’s personal driver for a month as he appeared in the shorter male’s doorway an hour early of their agreed pickup time. Levi was in the middle of sending Rico an email when he heard a knock on his door. The sight of his best friend smirking had him scowling as he let the giant in.

            “Tch, I hate you,” Levi said, stomping away to return to his laptop. He just wanted to see the blond to suffer; was that too much to ask?

            “We both know that isn’t true,” Erwin replied, joining the raven. He looked around at his surroundings and wasn’t surprised that his friend’s apartment sparkled like brand new. “Pestering Rico again, I believe?”

             “I’m just reminding her. She could fuck shit up for all I know.” The shorter man continued typing away, zoning out his visitor.

             “Rico will not fuck shit up, you know that. She’s like a female version of you.” Erwin paused for a moment, eyes widening a fraction as realization struck him. “I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or not. Two Levis in a company sounds a lot of trouble. Doesn’t she pique your interest, though? I bet you’d make a great couple.”

            Levi conveyed a message through his glare that if his friend didn’t shut up right that second, he would never see the light of day ever again. How dare he pair him up with Rico! The woman was a fireball, that’s for sure, but Levi wasn’t interested in her at all. He preferred his partner to be calm, cool and could put up with his bullshit. Judging by the way the platinum-haired woman regarded him on a daily basis, he could say that they wouldn’t work out as a couple. They made great co-workers, though.

            “How are _you_ and _Marie_ , though?” Levi asked. Erwin narrowed his eyes at him and the raven relished how he struck a nerve. The blue-eyed man fell head over heels the first time he met Marie Calloway, an illustrious hotelier known all over the country. She was Erwin’s ideal woman in all aspects and he had been courting her for quite some time now. He almost had her, if Nile Dok hadn’t entered in the picture. According to Erwin, he was quite known in the field of architecture and was also smitten with Marie when they met in an upscale party. The blond also found out that Nile was aggressive in pursuing the rich hotelier which annoyed Erwin.

            “I wouldn’t give up on her. One of these days, I’d let that Nile know who’s the worthy man here.” There was an evil, determined glint in Erwin’s eyes which made Levi smirk. His friend was a scary man when he had a clear goal in his mind. The raven admired people who knew what they want.

             “That’s good to know. Do you want some tea to clear your head?” he offered the man sitting in front of him.

             “Yes, please.”

 

* * *

 

           

            Levi and Erwin discussed parts of the latter’s presentation that still needed to be polished. Hanji told them she wouldn’t be going with them and just wait for her. The raven figured she woke up late and was rushing to pack her things. Typical Hanji.

            The airport was crowded as usual and Levi was grateful that he only had one luggage. He hated dragging numerous bags as he weaved through airport crowd. The weather was warm yet Levi still wore a black long-sleeved shirt and dark jeans. Before they left his apartment, Erwin eyed his clothes and gave him a questioning look.

            “Are you sure that’s what you’re wearing?”

            “Yes, is there a problem?”

            Erwin, who wore a simple white Cuban-collared shirt and khaki pants, bit his lip as if stopping himself to say what’s on his mind. “Nothing.”

            Inside the airport was a little cold, anyway, so Levi disregarded Erwin’s earlier reaction. Luckily, the check-in counter was still closed so both men looked for a vacant seat to wait for their friend. When said friend arrived, Levi had to do a double take.

            Hanji wore an elegant floral maxi dress and had her hair up in a bun. It was very different from her usual choice of clothing and her usual ponytail. But that wasn’t what Levi was shocked to see; it was the two big ass luggage beside her that caught his eye.

            “Did you bring your whole fucking house with you?”

            Their friend just laughed and sat beside Erwin who wasn’t surprised at all. Levi, on the other hand, wasn’t amused. She better not ask him for help because he wouldn’t if she did.

            “Silly grump! Of course not. It’s hard to choose clothes that are perfect for the tropical weather. I ended up taking more than half of my closet. And, ooh! There is also some stuff for my hair. There is this product which Hitch recommended that would make my hair look…”

            “Stop talking. I’m not interested in your girly products. I don’t care what’s in your bag. If you need help, you ask this beefy old man, not me,” Levi cut her off and tilted his head to the direction of Erwin.

            “Of course, Levi. You might get squished if you attempted to lift one of these.”

            “You’re going to regret saying that, shitty glasses.”

            Hanji beamed at him, completely used to her friend’s empty threats by now. Erwin rolled his eyes at their bickering. Over the years, he earned a few wrinkles just by hearing his friends argue over petty things. Fortunately, their squabble was brought to a halt when the check-in counter opened. Hanji’s luggage almost went over the weight limit but heaved a sigh of relief when it didn’t. When the attendant presented them their boarding passes, they went through security and found seats near their gate. Erwin suggested they eat lunch since they still have half an hour left before boarding.

            The two men managed to talk with Hanji strictly about the conference throughout their lunch. They knew once they were in the plane seated, she would talk their ears off. When the PA system announced that their flight was open for boarding, Hanji was squealing and trembling in excitement. She was always up for an adventure in a new place. The last time their company attended a conference in Asian territory, they were still at the bottom of the hierarchy and wasn’t allowed to participate.

            For a very successful marketing company, one would assume that the three VIPs would get themselves seats in business class or first class, but no. They settled for economy. Erwin reasoned that all of the passengers arrive at their destination at the same time regardless of where they sat. Levi suspected the agency director was just thrifty.

            The raven let out a quiet groan when he sat between Hanji and Erwin. The former made herself comfortable at the window seat while the latter was in the aisle. Levi felt like a child trapped between his mother and father. Worse, Hanji started chattering about her expectations of the place and what she’d like to do even before the plane took off. The short male could feel a headache coming in and wasn’t sure if he could survive the whole 20-hour flight to the Philippines without taping the brown-haired woman’s mouth.

***

            Almost fifteen hours into the flight and Levi’s ass was numb from sitting down. Good thing they were almost ready to land in Taipei where they would wait for 2 hours for their connecting flight to the Philippines.

            On his left, Hanji snored loudly and silently talked in her sleep. At one point, Levi heard her say the word ‘titans’ which made the raven assume that she was crazy both in reality and in dreamland. On his right, Erwin’s eyes were closed but he wasn’t sleeping. He opened an eye when Levi accidentally nudged him.

            When they got off in Taipei, Levi bought coffees for the three of them. Hanji rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she took the hot drink in her hands while Erwin was busy typing on his phone, probably messaging Mike and Marie. Without looking up from his phone, Erwin thanked Levi as the raven handed him his cup. The raven also checked his phone for important emails, especially from Rico. It was 7:30 in the evening back in New York so he guessed the woman left in charge of his responsibilities was already in her own home. True enough, she already sent him a detailed report of what went on. A snort in front of him made him look up and saw Erwin chuckling at something on his phone.

            “What’s funny?” the raven asked.

            “Mike sent a photo. I think you should see this.” The director handed his phone to Levi and the shorter male didn’t know if he should be pleased or not.

            Mike, Moblit, and Rico were in the picture holding a paper with a written “We didn’t burn the agency down!” on it. Levi made a mental note to email those cheeky shits later.

            After their caffeine fix, the three of them looked more awake. Levi used the remaining time before their connecting flight to walk around. His ass suffered the 15-hour flight and it’s going to suffer a bit more. Hanji brought out a book to read while Erwin couldn’t help himself but call Marie. When it came to the person he adored, he was very possessive.

            The 2-hour connecting flight to the Philippines was pretty uneventful since it was technically just a short travel time. He was grateful for the breakfast they served, though. It was tastier than normal airplane food.

            Hanji bounced in her seat as the plane began its descent. Out of curiosity, Levi looked out the window to see the new soil he would step in. Rows of buildings and houses filled his sight and, to be honest, it wasn’t a pleasant view. He hoped that wherever the conference would be held, it would be much nicer to look at.

            After they landed and went through immigration, they picked up their luggage and Levi smirked at the brunette who was having a hard time getting her luggage from the conveyor belt. That served her right.

            Upon arriving at the lobby, Levi was met with lots of people waiting for their families and loved ones who worked overseas for a long time. Some cried as they hugged each other and some couldn’t stop talking. He knew some Filipinos worked abroad just to give their families a good life; he even met some people back in New York. The whole scene tugged at his heartstrings as he remembered his mother.

            His train of thought was cut off when Erwin suggested they exchange some of their money to the local currency before heading out of the terminal.

            “It’s better to have cash in hand in case some places don’t accept credit cards,” the blond explained, looking around for money changers.

            “So, how are we getting the resort?” Hanji asked, dragging her two large luggage behind her like it was a walk in the park.

            “The resort is sending out one of their own employees to pick us up. He should be waiting outside.”

            Local cash and coins in hand, the three moved outside the terminal to find their service. But as soon as they all stepped out, Levi wanted to go back to the air-conditioned lobby.

            Outside was fucking humid.

            So hot that he could already feel the sweat trickling down his back. Not to mention that he was wearing a black long-sleeved shirt that absorbed the heat. He was almost suffocating. There were men wearing suits holding up signs bearing names of their respective hotels and guests’ names. Levi looked over to Erwin to see if one of them was their driver because a minute more, he would definitely pass out.

            “Fucking hell. Why is it so hot?” the raven complained, folding his sleeves up.

            “I tried to warn you,” Erwin said. Levi was confused for a moment until he remembered the big guy asking him about his choice of clothing.

            “You fucker! You knew it’s going to be hot as balls and you didn’t tell me to change?! Christ, why did I even become friends with you.” The shorter male was ready to knock the smug look on Erwin’s face.

             The agency director scanned the signs and held up a hand as he spotted the person they were assigned to. A dark brown-haired man in his early forties holding up a sign with their names smiled brightly at them. He was wearing a white short-sleeved collared shirt and black pants.

             “ _Mabuhay_! Welcome to the Philippines, Mr. Smith, Mr. Ackerman, and Ms. Zoe. I’m Armand Gonzales.” The hospitable man greeted them and extended his hand to shake theirs. Levi, still scowling and obviously in distress, shook his hand but retrieved it instantly as he felt the sweaty palm.

             “You’re staying for a while?” Armand asked as he eyed Hanji’s luggage.

             “Yes! Two weeks actually. I can’t wait to see all the beautiful sights and the delicious food!” the woman shrieked.

             Armand chuckled, unfazed at the energy emitted by Hanji. He probably had his fair share of excitable people in the past. “I think you will love it here. So, should we get going? The van is just parked right over there.” He pointed to their designated vehicle.

             The Filipino helped them load their bags and opened the sliding door so the foreigners could climb on.

             “I call shotgun!” Hanji proclaimed and zoomed to the front passenger seat. The raven and the blond didn’t bother to change her mind. Levi was very pleased to see that the van that the resort provided had captain’s seats rather than bench seats. It provided more legroom and space which was gratifying for the raven who was itching to get away from the heat.

             “Miss Zoe, are you sure you don’t want to sit at the back? It’s more comfortable,” Armand offered after getting in.

             The clearly ecstatic woman waved him off and strapped on her seatbelt. “Don’t worry! I’ll be alright here. Besides, I’d get to see the view better in front. Can’t really do what I want if I’m sitting with those two—” she tilted her head towards her friends— “especially grumpy pants.”

            Levi glared at his friend. “Fuck off, shitty glasses.”

            Hanji must have seen the shocked look on the local’s face and immediately patted his shoulder. “Ignore him, Armand. Levi’s native language is cursing so don’t be surprised. He’s also harmless despite that scary-looking face.”

            “I’ll show you harmless…” the raven started, cracking his knuckles as he prepared to yank Hanji out of her seat.

            But before things get out of hand, the acting father of the two intervened. “Levi. Hanji,” Erwin’s strong, firm voice oozed authority which effectively stopped the childish fight. The two contrasts went silent; the cranky raven crossed his arms and turned his head away while the brunette reverted to her old playful attitude like nothing happened.

            The blond sighed and gave Armand an apologetic smile. “I apologize for the inappropriate behavior of these two, Armand.”

            “It’s okay, Mr. Smith. My children are also like that.” The local returned a genuine smile and started the engine.

            As they traversed through the metro, Hanji ardently asked Armand questions about random things she saw or the country in general. In return, he answered all of them happily and didn’t even sugarcoat. The raven partially listened while he gazed at the flow of activity outside.

            One of the observations he had was that there were a lot of vendors in the street. On the sidewalks and even in the middle of the busy avenue. A man was selling rags which, by the looks of it, Levi assumed was for cleaning. His inner clean freak approved, though he wondered why the man sold cleaning products in the street. There was also another man selling fruits in a pushcart and a woman selling peanuts. Working under the heat of the sun and inhaling pollution all day every day must be doing a lot of damages to their health.

            Levi also saw homeless people living in the streets. Those people deserved to have a nice place to live in and not out there. The situation hit close to home since he and his mother almost became homeless themselves during the times they struggled.

            Two hours passed and the buildings and traffic disappeared only to be replaced by lush greenery and wide roads. As far as he could see, Levi did not see any signs of a body of water or even an indication that they were near one.

            “Erwin, we’ve been traveling for hours. How far is the resort exactly?” the raven asked the agency director who was busy on his phone.

            “We still have—” the blond looked at his watch and then back to his phone— “six hours to go, more or less. Is that correct, Armand?”

            Armand glanced from the rearview mirror. “Yes, sir.”

            Levi looked ready to blow up again. “What?! Are you shitting me?”

            “I’m not shitting you, Levi. I told you it’s located up north. Didn’t you look it up?” Erwin said calmly.

            The raven slumped back in his seat and closed his eyes. “Great. I’ve been sitting on my ass for a whole day and now I still need to endure it for fucking six more hours.”

            “We could stop and grab a bite in one of the gas stations, Mr. Ackerman. Some of them have decent restaurants,” Armand recommended.

            “Yes, thank you.”

            Hanji leaned towards the driver and whispered. “He’s just afraid that his cute butt will flatten.”

            “I heard that, shitface.”

***

            The place they stopped at had a gas station and lots of dining places. In the middle of a very vast field, there was Starbucks and McDonalds among others. A lot of people also stopped there to take a little rest before continuing on with their journey.

            “This expressway is the gateway to the northern part of the country. It’s the fastest route to get there. It’s no surprise that establishments take advantage of that so travelers don’t get tired and hungry during the long drive,” Armand explained.

            After they had their lunch and filled up the tank, they hit the road. Hanji was immensely thrilled at the lush scenery.

            “Look! There are so many cows and are those water buffalos? Is that rice they’re planting?” she inquired, tugging on Armand’s sleeve.

            “Yes, Miss Zoe. They also plant corns.”

            “Can I go out and see them up close? Just a second, I swear!”

            “Oi, glasses. Don’t think about getting out of this car. If you do, we’re leaving your sorry ass out there,” Levi barked. He badly wanted to arrive at the resort so he could finally rest. Every delay they encountered just made him crankier.

            “You’re no fun,” the brunette whined but resumed her discussion with Armand.

            The weariness caught with Levi and he felt his eyelids drop. He didn’t realize he had fallen asleep when Erwin woke him up. He let out a yawn and stretched his legs a bit before speaking to the blond.

            “What?”

            “We’re almost there,” Erwin said, pointing outside. Levi turned to the direction he was pointing at and was awestruck at the sight.

            The narrow road they were taking was higher than the water and the sun was still up high so they had a perfect view of a kilometer-long cove with a white sand coast, tall, coconut trees, and sparkling blue-green water. Blue and white cabanas were also situated along the coast and Levi could see kayaks and boats at the other side of the cove, too.

            The trip was definitely better than their hiking trip years ago.

            Just then, the van pulled into a parking lot and the beautiful view vanished from their sights.

            “We’re here now. I hope my driving was okay,” Armand spoke up.

            “Your driving is perfect, Armand. I believe you also entertained Hanji very well,” Erwin assured the driver.

            The mentioned brunette was all smiles and kept patting Armand on the back. “You sure did, Armand!”

            “Oh, thank you so much.” The local blushed at the praises he got. “Well, welcome to Eleftheria!”

            As soon as they stepped out of the van, they were greeted with a sight of a Santorini-inspired place with all of the blue and white colors. There was also a building that looked like the Parthenon.

            “Oh, wow. It feels like I’m in Greece all of a sudden.” Hanji marveled at the surroundings.

            Armand guided them to the reception which was separated from the other buildings. Three receptionists were behind the desk, two of them on the phone attending to guests’ requests and the other in front of a computer typing away.

            “I’m going to leave now, Mr. Smith. I hope you enjoy your stay here,” Armand announced, setting their luggage beside a sofa. Erwin nodded and shook hands with the driver before turning his attention to the receptionist.

            When the woman looked up in front of the computer, she froze for a moment as the agency director’s handsome face dazzled above her. She collected her bearings and cleared her throat.

            “Welcome to Eleftheria! How may I help you, sir?”

            “Reservation for Erwin Smith?” the blond said in a charming tone which made the poor woman blush.

            “Please wait for a moment.” The petite woman began typing and smiled at Erwin as she finished. “Oh, you’re participating in the conference. We have reserved a two-bedroom villa for you, Mr. Smith.”

            She handed him two keycards and Erwin grabbed them, gently brushing his fingers against hers. The woman’s face became scarlet but didn’t look away from the tall man’s piercing gaze.

            “Enjoy your stay, Mr. Smith,” she said coyly.

            “Thank you, Iris,” Erwin replied, stealing a look at her nametag. “How are we getting to our villa?”

            “Oh, right. I’ll call someone to assist you right away. Please wait for a moment.”

            Erwin nodded and sat on the sofa beside Levi. Hanji was busy looking at a pamphlet with the resort’s offered water activities and badgering the receptionists with her questions.

            “You big flirt,” Levi accused the blond.

            “Jealous?” Erwin joked, earning him a disgusted look from his friend.

            “I’m going to tell Marie.”

            “You wouldn’t dare.”

            “Stop seducing other women and I won’t tell her. And why the hell are we still here? I fucking need to shower.” Levi complained. He wanted to shower and then sleep. Dinner wasn’t even on his mind.

            “They’re already called somebody to assist us. We should just wait.”

            “It’s been a very long day. I haven’t showered, my body’s begging me to sleep and now you’re telling me I have to wait? If that person assisting us isn’t going to show up in the next ten seconds, I’m going to fucking—” The raven didn’t have the chance to continue what he was saying because the receptionist Erwin was flirting with suddenly shouted at someone. He didn’t look away from the blond, though. He was still grumpy and he wanted the big man to squirm.

            Only when an unknown presence stood before them that Levi was then able to divert his attention from Erwin and towards the new person. However, his glare dropped when his eyes locked onto a pair of large, bright, teal-green eyes.

            A young man stood before them with a smile equally dazzling like his eyes.

            “Hello! Welcome to Eleftheria! My name’s Eren.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a bit ironic that I said in the last chapter that I wanted to get out of the "European setting" but then here I am writing about a Santorini-inspired resort haha. But the place is really nice. I'd love to go back but it's so expensive. More details about the resort next chapter!
> 
> I also tried not to sugarcoat anything in describing the country. Honestly, Manila is overpopulated and the traffic is really bad especially during rush hour and holidays. But there are many hidden paradises in the Philippines and most of them are found in small towns in the provinces. 
> 
> Hope you like this chapter!

**Author's Note:**

> The first chapter is kinda meh but all the fun things will happen once they reach their destination! So, thoughts?


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